Rough Politics

KIEV (Reuters) – Ukrainian transport minister and one of Ukraine’s most prominent businessmen Heorhiy Kyrpa was found dead on Monday at his home outside Kiev, a government source said.

“An investigating group from the police are working at the scene. He was found dead with gunshot wounds at his dacha just at the outskirts of Kiev,” the source said.

The television station 5 Kanal reported a gun was found near the body. It was not clear whether Kyrpa killed himself or was murdered, the government source told Reuters.

Kyrpa, 58, had close ties to outgoing President Leonid Kuchma and at one time was mentioned as a possible candidate in the presidential election which ended with Sunday’s rerun of a rigged Nov. 21 poll.